Bow string release

ABSTRACT

An elongated body including remote forwardly facing and rearwardly facing opposite side surfaces, as well as opposite ends between which said side surfaces extend. The body is adapted to be held horizontally in at least substantially closed fist of the user disposed in horizontal position with the rearwardly facing side surface of the body opposing the palm of the user, and at least some of the forwardly facing side surfaces of the body opposing the inner surfaces of the free end portions of some of the fingers of the hand of the user. One end portion of the body includes an upstanding opening therethrough for the index finger of a user and having a forward terminus defining an elongated transversely extending notch open at its opposite ends and opening laterally toward the end of the body upon which the lateral projection is disposed and the notch is operable to seatingly receive a bow string therein. The opening has removable sleeves positioned therein to receive various size fingers. The bowstring releasably seats behind a flange which forms a portion of the notch. The flange is adjustably shiftable for use with various sizes and types of bow strings.

Hansen et al.

[ BOW STRING RELEASE [76] Inventors: Jep F. Hansen, 3207 Bristow Rd.,

Grants Pass, Oreg. 97526; Albert L. Hansen, 1280 Oxyoke Rd., Hugo, Oreg.

[22] Filed: Sept. 30, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 185,154

[52] US. Cl 124/35 A [51] Int. Cl. F4lc 27/00 [58] Field of Search 124/35 A, 41, 30 R; 273/63, 64; 63/15.5, 15.6, 3,1, 2

[56] References Cited 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,656,467 4/1972 Halter 124/35 A 3,661,136 5/1972 Bradshaw.... D198,166 5/1964 Sorensen 124/35 UX FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 3/1946 Switzerland 63/ 15.5

Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-William R. Browne Attorney-Clarence A. OBrien and Harvey B.

Jacobson Oct. 30, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT An elongated body including remote forwardly facing and rearwardly facing opposite side surfaces, as well as opposite ends between which said side surfaces extend. The body is adapted to be held horizontally in at least substantially closed fist of the user disposed in horizontal position with the rearwardly facing side surface of the body opposing the palm of the user, and at least some of the forwardly facing side surfaces of the body opposing the inner surfaces of the free end portions of some of the fingers of the hand of the user. One end portion of the body includes an upstanding opening therethrough for the index finger of a user and having a forward terminus defining an elongated transversely extending notch open at its opposite ends and opening laterally toward the end of the body upon which the lateral projection is disposed and the notch is operable to seatingly receive a bow string therein. The opening has removable sleeves positioned therein to receive various size fingers. The bowstring releasably seats behind a flange which forms a portion of the notch. The flange is adjustably shiftable for use with various sizes and types of bow strings.

7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PAIENlEnfimaolszs 3.7 8.456

SHEET 10F 2 v Jep f. Hansen Albert L. Hansen INVENTORS.

BY anyway 3m BOW STRING RELEASE The bow string release of the instant invention has been primarily designed to provide a means whereby a bowman may release the bow string of his bow in an improved manner affording greater accuracy and resulting in less fatigue of the muscles of the hand and fingers holding the bow string in a drawn condition.

The release is essentially of one-piece construction, although the bow string retaining portion thereof is shiftable to afford a desired adjustment and one finger receiving opening in the release is provided with removable and nested sleeve inserts, whereby the effective diameter of the opening may be varied. After the release has been adjusted to provide the necessary adjustment to the bow string retaining portion thereof and the effective size of the finger receiving opening desired has been achieved, there are no moving parts of the bow string release to be actuated either in drawing the associated bow string or releasing the same.

The release is actuated to release the bow string being held in a drawn condition merely by the user of the release angularly displacing his hand, at the wrist, relative to his forearm and the release of the bow string does not necessarily occur at any precise relative angulation between the bow string release and the plane of the associated bow and the string. Therefore, the associated bow string may be released in a manner which is similar to a rifle or pistol being fired by slowly squeezing the trigger, as opposed to the conventional manner of releasing a bow string by quickly opening the fingers utilized to retain the bow string in a drawn position.

The main object of this invention is to provide a bow string release which will be capable of allowing a bowman to release the string of his bow in a manner which is similar to the manner in which a handgun is discharged by slowly squeezing the trigger.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a bow string release of the hand held type which may be actuated to release the associated bow string without any rapid movement of the hand of the user. A still further objectof this invention is to provide a bow string release that may be readily adjusted for use in conjunction with various sizes and types of bow strings. 7

Another important object of this invention is to provide a bow string release, including a finger receivable openingformed therethrough provided with'selectively removable nested sleeves, whereby the effective diameter of the fingerreceiving opening may be readily adjusted.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a bow string release which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction, and easy to use, so as to provide a device that will be economical feasible, long-lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bow string release;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plane view of the bow string release being held in operative position retaining a bow string in its drawn condition and with a portion of the release being broken away and illustrated in horizontal section;

FIG. 4 is a top plane view, similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating the bow string release being held in the bow string releasing position;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary top plane view of the bow string release with portions thereof illustrated in horizontal section to disclose the manner in which the lateral depth of the bow string receiving notch defined by the release may be adjusted;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the bow string release as seen from the left side of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the three nestable sleeves removably receivable in the finger receiving opening formed in the body of the bow string release and adapted to receive the index finger of the user;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 3 but illustrating a modified form of bow string release; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the modified form of bow string release.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the bow string release of the instant invention. The release 10 includes an elongated body 12 having a forwardly facing side 14 and a rearwardly facing side 16. The body 12 is elongated and the sides 14 and 16 extend longitudinally thereof. In addition, the body 12 includes an upper surface 18 and a lower surface 20.

One end of the body is laterally enlarged and has an upstanding bore 22 formed therethrough including vertically spaced circumferentially extending grooves 24. In addition, the end of the body 12 in which the bore 22 is formed includes a forwardly projecting lateral extension 26 terminating outwardly in an upstanding planar abutment surface 28 extending longitudinally of the body 12. The abutment surface 28 faces forwardly and has a pair of threaded blind bores 30 formed therein and an elongated longitudinally extending slotted flange 32 is secured to the abutment surface 28 by means of a pair of headed fasteners 34 extending through the slot 36 in the flange 32 and threadedly engaged in the bore 30. One end of the flange 32 projects endwise outwardly beyond the corresponding endsurface 38 of the extension 26 so as to define a vertically extending notch 40 open at its upper and lower ends between the extended end of the'flange 32 and the body 12, the notch 40 also opening laterally outwardly of the end of the body 12 in which the bore 22 is formed.

The end edge of the body 12 corresponding to the end in which the opening or bore 22 is formed is contoured as at 42 to comfortably receive the inner surface of the users thumb 44. In addition, the forwardly facing side 14 of the remote end of the body 12 is contoured as at 46 to defie finger receiving recesses for receiving the second and third fingers 48 and 50 of the users hand 51.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIGS. 2 and 7 of the drawings, it may be seen that there is provided three telescopingly nestable sleeves 52, 54 and 56 and that each of the sleeves includes a pair of axially spaced circumferentially extending and radially outwardly projecting ribs 58 on its outer surface and a pair of axially spaced circumferentially extending radially inwardly opening grooves 60 formed in its inner surface. The sleeve 52 is snugly receivingly receivable within the bore 22 with the ribs 58 thereof seated in the grooves 24. In addition, the sleeve 54 is telescopingly nestable within the sleeve 52 with its ribs or ridges 58 seated in the grooves 60 of the sleeve 54. Finally, the sleeve 56 is telescopingly nestable within the sleeve 54 with its ribs 58 seatingly received in the grooves 60 of the sleeve 54. In this manner, the effective diameter of the bore 22 may be adjusted as desired in order to comfortably receive the index finger 64 of the hand 51.

With reference now more specifically to FIGS. 8 and 9 of the drawings, there may be seen a modified form of release referred to in general by the reference numeral 110 and which is substantially identical to the release 10, except for the end thereof adapted to be engaged by the second and third fingers of the hand of the user in that this end of the release 110 is contoured so as to define a pair of more distinct finger receiving recesses 113 and 115 with the latter being disposed furtherest from the bore 122 corresonding to the bore 22 and being disposed slightly behind the recess 113. In all other respects, the release 110 is identical to the release 10 and has its corresponding components referred to by numerals corresponding to those utilized in identifying the various parts of the release 10, but in the 100 series.

In operation, either release may be grippeikin the hand of the user in the manner illustrated with the bow string 70 engaged in the corresponding notch or recess and with the nock end 72 of the associated arrows 73 engaged with the bow string 70 and resting upon the upper surface of the corresponding flange, see FIGS. 3 and 8. Then, the release may be slightly rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 8 of the drawings to slightly incline the notcher recess in which the bow string 70 is retained to thus allow the bow string to slip out of the notch so as to be released from the bow string release.

In slightly angularly displacing either bow string release from the bow string retaining position thereof to the bow string release position thereof, either the index finger may be slightly opened, the second and third fingers may be curled further backward or the entire hand 51 may be swung in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 3 and SM the drawings. Also, any combination of these three movements may be utilized to effect the necessary angular displacement of the bow string release in order to release the associated bow string.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A bow string releasing device comprising a horizontally elongated body including upper and lower sides and remote forwardly facing and rearwardly facing front and rear side surfaces as well as opposite ends betwen which said forwardly and rearwardly facing side surfaces extend, said body being adapted to be held horizontally in at least a substantially closed fist of a user with the rear side of the body opposing the palm of a user and at least some of the forwardly facing side surfaces of the body opposing the inner surfaces free end portions of some of the fingers ofa user, said body, at one end thereof, having an upstanding opening formed therethrough opening upwardly and downwardly through said upper and lower sides intermediate said front and rear sides of said body in which to receive an index finger of a user of said release, said front side surface of said other end of said body defining at least one upstanding forwardly opening finger receiving recess spaced therealong from said one end toward the other end of said body and adapted to have a users finger received therein, the portion of said one end of said body defining the forwardmost extremity of said opening including a forwardly projecting extension including means coacting with said extension and body and defining a vertically extending and horizontally opening notch opening toward said one end of said body, the horizontally opening open end of said notch being disposed, when in use, in generally front-to-rear alignment with the center of said finger opening and a bow string, said notch being adapted to seatingly receive a bow string therein with the opposite end portions of a bow string extending outwardly of the opposite ends of the notch, said means comprising a flange, means supporting said flange from said extension for permitting adjustable shifting of said flange longitudinally of said body.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein an end face of said flange defines the forward extremity of the notch and is radiused forwardly relative to said forwardly facing side surfaces of said body.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said front side surface includes a plurality of finger receiving recesses disposed in side by side relation and aligned generally longitudinally of said body.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said recesses open outwardly in a forward direction relative to said forwardly facing side surfaces of said body, but are when in use, generally aligned in a front to rear direction relative to said forwardly and rearwardly facing side surfaces of said body.

5. A bow string string releasing device comprising a horizontally elongated body including upper and lower sides and remote forwardly facing and rearwardly facing front and rear side surfaces as well as opposite ends between which said forwardly and rearwardly facing side surfaces extend, said body being adapted to be held horizontally in at least a substantially closed fist of a user with the rear side of the body opposing a palm of a user and at least some of the forwardly facing side surfaces of the body opposing the inner surfaces of the free end portions of some fingers of a user, said body, at one end thereof, having an upstanding opening formed therethrough opening upwardly and downwardly through said upper and lower sides intermediate said front and rear sides of said body in which to receive an index finger of a user of said release, said front side surface of said other end of said body defining at least one upstanding forwardly opening finger receiving recess spaced therealong from said one end toward the other end of said body and adapted to have a user's finger recieved therein, the portion of said one end of said body defining the forwardmost extremity of said opening including a forwardly projecting extension including means coacting with said extension and body and defining a vertically extending and horizontally opening notch opening toward said one of said body, the horizontally opening open end of said notch being disposed, when in use, in generally front-to-rear alignment with the center of said finger opening and a bow string, said notch being adapted to seatingly receive a bow string therein with the opposite end portions of a bow string extending outwardly of the opposide ends of the notch, and selectively usable telescopingly nestable sleeves removably secured in said opening whereby the wardly facing side surface of said body. 

1. A bow string releasing device comprising a horizontally elongated body including upper and lower sides and remote forwardly facing and rearwardly facing front and rear side surfaces as well as opposite ends betwen which said forwardly and rearwardly facing side surfaces extend, said body being adapted to be held horizOntally in at least a substantially closed fist of a user with the rear side of the body opposing the palm of a user and at least some of the forwardly facing side surfaces of the body opposing the inner surfaces free end portions of some of the fingers of a user, said body, at one end thereof, having an upstanding opening formed therethrough opening upwardly and downwardly through said upper and lower sides intermediate said front and rear sides of said body in which to receive an index finger of a user of said release, said front side surface of said other end of said body defining at least one upstanding forwardly opening finger receiving recess spaced therealong from said one end toward the other end of said body and adapted to have a user''s finger received therein, the portion of said one end of said body defining the forwardmost extremity of said opening including a forwardly projecting extension including means coacting with said extension and body and defining a vertically extending and horizontally opening notch opening toward said one end of said body, the horizontally opening open end of said notch being disposed, when in use, in generally front-to-rear alignment with the center of said finger opening and a bow string, said notch being adapted to seatingly receive a bow string therein with the opposite end portions of a bow string extending outwardly of the opposite ends of the notch, said means comprising a flange, means supporting said flange from said extension for permitting adjustable shifting of said flange longitudinally of said body.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein an end face of said flange defines the forward extremity of the notch and is radiused forwardly relative to said forwardly facing side surfaces of said body.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said front side surface includes a plurality of finger receiving recesses disposed in side by side relation and aligned generally longitudinally of said body.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said recesses open outwardly in a forward direction relative to said forwardly facing side surfaces of said body, but are when in use, generally aligned in a front to rear direction relative to said forwardly and rearwardly facing side surfaces of said body.
 5. A bow string string releasing device comprising a horizontally elongated body including upper and lower sides and remote forwardly facing and rearwardly facing front and rear side surfaces as well as opposite ends between which said forwardly and rearwardly facing side surfaces extend, said body being adapted to be held horizontally in at least a substantially closed fist of a user with the rear side of the body opposing a palm of a user and at least some of the forwardly facing side surfaces of the body opposing the inner surfaces of the free end portions of some fingers of a user, said body, at one end thereof, having an upstanding opening formed therethrough opening upwardly and downwardly through said upper and lower sides intermediate said front and rear sides of said body in which to receive an index finger of a user of said release, said front side surface of said other end of said body defining at least one upstanding forwardly opening finger receiving recess spaced therealong from said one end toward the other end of said body and adapted to have a user''s finger recieved therein, the portion of said one end of said body defining the forwardmost extremity of said opening including a forwardly projecting extension including means coacting with said extension and body and defining a vertically extending and horizontally opening notch opening toward said one of said body, the horizontally opening open end of said notch being disposed, when in use, in generally front-to-rear alignment with the center of said finger opening and a bow string, said notch being adapted to seatingly receive a bow string therein with the opposite end portions of a bow string extending outwardly of the opposide ends of the notch, and selectively usable telesCopingly nestable sleeves removably secured in said opening whereby the effective diameter of said opening may be varied.
 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the forward extremity of said notch is defined by a flange adjustably shiftable relative tr said extension longitudinally of said body.
 7. The combination of claim 6 wherein an end face of said flange defines the forward extremity of the notch and is radiused forwardly relative to said forwardly facing side surface of said body. 